As you and I collide
by hazydaze
Summary: Lois Lane doesn't believe in destiny, she doesn't believe she was fated to be with anyone let alone Clark Kent but as the stars align and a series of events unfold it becomes very clear to Lois, destiny waits for no one, not even her. Clois
1. Chapter 1

Title: As you and I collide [1/?] WIP for NaNoWriMo  
Author: Rae  
Rating: PG  
Genre: Smallville with eventual crossover to Superman Returns  
Characters/Pairings: Clark Kent/Lois Lane, Chloe Sullivan/Jimmy Olsen.  
Warnings/Spoilers: Set post 8x13 because 8x10 has happened and Lois is obviously back.  
Disclaimer: DC Comics and the CW own all rights to the show and Superman, I just took them out to play with.  
Summary: Lois Lane doesn't believe in destiny, she doesn't believe she was fated to be with anyone let alone Clark Kent but as the stars align and a series of events unfold it becomes very clear to Lois, destiny waits for no one, not even her.  
Author Notes: With inconcieveable thanks to the unequivocal svgurl for beta-ing this for me.  
Word Count: 4,000ish

_Clark couldn't deny his attraction as he pulled Maxima to his body, her softness teasing him after so long alone. Never alone, not now, not again._

"Smallville!" Lois shouted as her eyes blinked several times, like she could somehow wash the sight from her brain.

The fog was breaking in Clark's mind, like a bucket of ice cold water had been poured over him, "Lois?" Clark squinted, even though he could see her perfectly. Lois looked at him, pain in her eyes, cutting him with the words she didn't say.

"Let her go!" Maxima had begged, insisted, but Clark had to apologise, he needed Lois to know he was sorry.

"Lois, Lois wait!"

"What?!"

"Do you love this man?"

"Underneath it all, do you love him?"

"Yes."

Lois couldn't look at Clark, her confession burned through her body, he was never supposed to know. Because it would never be their story; this life… it wasn't about Lois and Clark. 

Chapter One 

Chloe sighed. In theory, the evening had been a good idea but no one was counting on the nitpicking and nail scratching between Lois and Clark. Even Jimmy frowned as Lois continued to berate Clark over his choice to give up an article.

"Hey, Lois, you want to lay off?" Jimmy asked, as pleasantly as he could, only to be given the Lois Lane stare of death. A good portion of the restaurant they were in sat staring at their plates and the other half spent their time sneaking glances at the fighting duo.

"Look, if we were in any other kind of business, what Clark did would be kind, great even but we're reporters and you can't go giving up stories," Lois reprimanded him as she pushed a piece of lettuce around her plate.

"Oh and you're pretending like you care today?" Clark threw back, "What? No monster truck rally in the nearest 200 miles?"

Lois gritted her teeth, "Of course there was but why would I be there when I can be here with you?" She laid her hand on Clark's forearm; his eyes went to it immediately looking at it as if it had burnt him.

Clark looked around and finally saw all the pairs of eyes on them. Shaking off Lois' hand, he grabbed her bicep. "Lois!" he hissed under his breath, and pulled her up towards the direction of the elevator at the front of the restaurant. Finally, stopping in front of it, Lois pushed the button for up. Clark looked at her, half questioning before his face set back into a glare.

"Lois, what is wrong with you?" Clark demanded.

"You're the one who yanked me over here, Kent," Lois grunted as Clark pulled her back to face him.

"Lois!"

Lois sighed angrily and threw up her hands, "You're ridiculous!"

"I'm ridiculous?! Lois, you've just spent the last 25 minutes telling me I'm a waste of space!"

"That's not what I said."

"You might as well as have. Jesus, Lois, what did I ever do to you?" Clark's face was a mask of disbelief.

"It's not me I'm worried about." Lois' chest heaved with exertion, her face almost pleading with Clark. To anyone else the conversation wouldn't have made sense; worry seemingly had no place in this contest of wills but it was the unspoken barrier between them both, _Lana_, that created this chasm.

"We're not like that, Lois," Clark insisted.

"You're not? So the dinners, the cosy nights in, aren't her moseying on in right where she left off?" Lois reeled off. In the last week she had called him six different times to work on a story but he had blown her off in favour of spending time with Lana. Obviously it had not left Clark in her good books.

Clark rubbed the bridge of his nose as if he was suddenly tired. "She's not doing anything. We're not getting back together."

"I want to believe you, Clark but your Lana track record schedules a heartbreak in tee minus 3 days." Lois sighed again, "I thought you were moving on. You know, wild cherry and all that."

Clark felt a blush from his face to his toes spread out through his body, "I have moved on…," a gulp later, "Wild cherry, withstanding."

"Well, I can't watch her trounce all over you again, Clark. I mean why don't you just start introducing yourself as 'Hi-I'm-a-doormat'?"

The blush dissipated as quickly as it had come. Clark was already back on form, flying back with barbs he hoped would land as well as Lois' ones had on him. "I appreciate your concern, Lois but whether or not Lana and I do anything is really none of your business."

"I'm your friend, Clark, of course it's my business," Lois said flippantly as if it was something that was always true, like he was an idiot for thinking otherwise.

"This fortunately isn't." Clark glared, his eyes fixated on Lois' dark ones; he was staring so intensely he could see the flecks of gold in her irises and the warmth that seemed to emanate from that single look. It was point one Lois Lane as Clark looked away from her heated gaze.

The elevator pinged and opened its doors. "Fine, whatever, Clark but when it all ends in tears, which it will, don't come complaining on my ear about it," Lois told him as she poked her finger into his chest. Stepping into the elevator, she waited for Clark, "Coming Smallville?"

"I'm going to apologize to Chloe and Jimmy. For ruining their welcome back dinner." It was obvious that it was a poke at Lois more than Clark actually wanting to apologize.

Lois rolled her eyes at Clark's look, then nodded, "I'll catch Chloe in a bit, right now, I really need to go change."

Clark would have agreed if he wasn't so in favour of Lois' current state of dress. The expectation of the restaurant had lead to everyone dressing with some sort of formality; luckily it wasn't out of place when they arrived. But Lois looked…good, her dress was a simple dark grey silk that scooped at her neck and touched her toes at the bottom but had left her back completely exposed to the elements. Clark had been restraining himself since they left the bar to cover at least some portion of her back with his hand.

The doors closed and the sound brought Clark back to the present. He turned and walked back into the room, trying to ignore the curious looks as he walked back to their table.

"Hey, CK," Jimmy said, tapping Clark on the back in a friendly gesture. "I see you're still alive."

"Almost, it was touch and go but Lois favoured comfortable clothes over my demise," Clark explained but Chloe's eyes on him told him she knew a different story. "Sorry about all that. Guess working together hasn't worked out all the kinks in our friendship."

"It's okay, Clark, I too have been on the receiving end of a Lois rampage, it's not a pretty sight," Jimmy concurred as Chloe nodded.

"Sure, Lois said she wasn't feeling well, I guess she's just got a bad case of the grumps," Chloe offered up, Clark smiled gratefully.

Jimmy raised his glass, "To Lois, may we never cross her bad side."

Clark laughed, this time it was real and genuine, "Yeah, to Lois."

*-*

Clark put the card key into the door and let himself into the hotel room. Upon, Chloe and Jimmy's return from their honeymoon, Lois had insisted that they go all out to make it memorable after the wedding fiasco. Which was why they were now in one of Metropolis' most exclusive and expensive hotels, courtesy of Oliver, sharing a room.

"Lois?" Clark called.

"Hmm?" He heard a voice mumble, "Clark? In the bathroom."

Clark laughed to himself., Lois' look when she had seen the bath had been priceless; had they not been late for dinner, he assumed she would have stripped there and then. A slosh of water later, Clark heard Lois talking to herself, things he knew he shouldn't be listening to, so he tuned her out, sitting down on the bed as he stared out at the skyline. With floor to ceiling windows, Metropolis looked like a glittering jewel in the night. But Clark knew the truth, that there had been 3 thefts, 2 robberies and 6 fights scattered around the town.

"Penny?" Lois asked as she opened the bathroom door. She leaned against the door frame, clothed in a fluffy white robe.

"What?" Clark asked confused.

"Penny. As in penny for your thoughts." She shook her head; he could almost hear her thoughts about his farm town upbringing.

"Right. Well, nothing interesting. Just Metropolis looks…nice," Clark replied as Lois sat down on the bed beside him. Clark tried to stop his breath from hitching when it dipped, he failed, Lois looked at him expectantly.

Lois nodded, "Sure, what shiny light show doesn't?"

Clark rolled his eyes, "Can't you appreciate anything for what it is Lois?"

"Yeah but Metropolis is something that looks beautiful but in reality is so much worse. It's like praising the devil."

"You're not religious."

"I could be. Okay, I'm not, but still. Nothing is what it seems, Clark, so don't take things for face value okay. You don't know what you could be getting yourself into," Lois told him thoughtfully.

Clark's voice was low and quiet when he replied, "Another pearl of Lois Lane wisdom."

"Like you could live without them." Lois smiled, facing him.

Clark smiled and nodded, "Doubtful. Where would I be without your guidance and expertise?"

"Probably in a gutter, wondering what your life could have been like," Lois told him.

Clark smiled, his tone teasing, "Yeah, well what is my life like with you in it?"

Lois looked at him, serious, "Oh it's going to be…interesting of course, lots of mystery and intrigue but mostly you're…"

Clark noticed that they had leant into each other; he could almost feel Lois' shallow breaths on his cheek. "I'm…?"

Slowly, Lois bit her bottom lip, Clark's eyes followed the movement, "You're…"

There was a knock at the door, sending both of them metres apart. Clark coughed and practically ran to the door, opening it, "Hello, hi."

"Clark?" Chloe looked at him, suspiciously, "You okay?"

"Chloe, yeah, I'm fine. What's up?" Clark asked, trying to not look back at Lois.

"Figured if Lois was feeling better you guys might be up for a movie. Jimmy bought a couple earlier today if you want to come over." Chloe smiled, Clark looked back at Lois, who nodded at him.

"Sure, give me a minute, there's something I had to do but umm, I'll be there. Lois?" Clark noticed her flushed look as she walked towards him.

"Give me 5," Lois said quickly.

"Okay, see you guys in a bit." Chloe touched Clark's arm in a warm gestured and he offered up a half smile. Closing the door, Clark stuttered, "Actually, Lois there is something that I have to do…"

"Go, I've gotta change unless…" She raised her eyebrows; Clark's blush came back in full force as he caught her meaning.

"No." Clark mumbled, "I really have to…go."

Lois was frowning as Clark practically tripped out of the door.

*-*

Clark had several pieces of popcorn in his hair when he tried to brush them out, Lois would only throw more. He had stopped 2 of the thefts he had heard, all of the robberies and the worst of the fighting, all within 20 minutes. Lois was already with Chloe and Jimmy, watching some sort of action movie; she was currently telling Jimmy that you would never take down the bad guy that way. Clark laughed internally as everyone welcomed him to take a share of the huge bed and he some how ended up wedged between Chloe and Lois after starting off at the end of the bed.

"Come on, those two are already snoozing," Lois said pointing to Chloe and Jimmy, cuddled up in each other's arms.

"Well I can't move until you do." Clark gestured to the edge of the bed.

"I can't because your mountainous proportions have me trapped between you and this cabinet." Lois poked Clark's rib as if that would somehow help him to move.

"Lois, what are you doing?" Clark asked as she started to shift, her leg going between his two.

"I'm shuffling," she told him as she put her arm over his waist, her hand brushing his side. Clark tried to stay perfectly still as Lois tried to pull herself up her balance failed and she fell with an oomph on to his chest.

"Next time, I'm on the end," Clark muttered to himself but Lois heard him.

"…And what? Miss out on this bizarre game of twister?" Lois laughed and it made her body vibrate against his. Clark was not unaware of some of the charm Lois held. Lois let out a whoop of victory as she sat upright on Clark's thigh. Clark's hand went to Lois' hip to steady her as she almost fell back. The silence between them was unbearable until Lois coughed and got up. Clark kept his eyes trained to the floor as they made their way back to their room.

Opening the door, Lois turned to Clark, "Hey, since we're still up you want to…"

"What?" Clark suddenly felt like a deer caught in headlights as Lois scooped up the remote.

"Watch another movie?" Lois flicked through some of the channels until she picked one, music flowed through the room.

"No,." Clark said, but not with as much force as he maybe could have.

"Oh come on, Clark, I love this movie!" Lois grinned as she did a little pirouette in front of him. Clark was bemused to see this side of Lois, maybe he could suffer a little bit to see her smile.

"Lois…"

"Look, there's fighting, a damsel in distress, a hero and a villain. Right up your street." Lois bit her lip to keep herself from laughing.

"He's a beast forced to know what it's like to be human but always be different," Clark replied.

"But he was redeemed, Belle saw past all that and fell in love with him. Just because he was different doesn't make him unworthy of love," Lois reprimanded as more strands of music weaved their way into the room.

_Tale as old as time, true as it can be,  
Barely even friends then somebody bends unexpectedly,  
Just a little change, small to say the least,  
Both a little scared neither one prepared,  
Beauty and the Beast._

_Beauty and the Beast, Lois Lane's favourite Disney movie, who knew?_ Clark sighed, defeated he laid back on the bed as Lois sat beside him.

"You really think that no matter how different he was that Belle could really love him, above all others?" Clark asked, as Lois became enmeshed in the movie.

"What, like soul mates? It wasn't because he was different that she loved him, it was because they were the same. His being different stopped mattering after that."

"_Love is not finding the perfect person but finding an imperfect person perfect_."

"You could write a column, huh Clark," Lois said sleepily, trying to stifle a yawn.

"If you're tired Lois why don't you go to sleep?" Clark asked Lois as she curled up, using her own arm as a pillow.

"I'm not," Lois continued to protest but when Clark checked on her not even 5 minutes later she was snoring lightly. Covering her with a blanket, Clark grabbed a pillow and made his way to the reasonable looking couch.

Clark woke up on the floor, having at some point falling off the couch in the night. Rubbing his elbow, he looked around, light was blaring in through the hole in curtains and as Clark turned his head he noticed Lois wasn't in the bed.

Turning to the small dining table, Lois was sitting there sipping a cup of coffee, "Hey Clark."

"You could have woken me up," Clark said grumpily as Lois grinned.

"But you looked so peaceful there…on the floor."

"Of course, it's good for the back," Clark threw back at her.

"Sure. Pancakes?" Lois offered, she had a plate of blueberry flavoured ones in front of her, maple syrup to her right.

"Urgh, I don't know how one person can handle so much sugar," Clark said half disgusted; he knew she put a mountain of sugar in her coffee as well and it only seemed to deepen his nauseous feeling.

"It's what gets me through the day," Lois stated, "Here have some fruit, you okay Clark? You look a little green."

Clark didn't know what it was, he just felt like his stomach was going to refuse anything it was given, "Just feel a little sick is all."

"Maybe it's food poisoning and you could write an article and sue the hotel." Lois grinned again.

"Doubt it and no," Clark replied as he chewed on a piece of apple thoughtfully.

"So what do you wanna do? It's Sunday and we're in the big city," Lois asked as she picked up a copy of the Daily Planet.

Clark stared at her blankly for a moment.

"Oh right, you should probably get back to Lana."

An annoyed look crossed Clark's face. "No, Lois, as Lana isn't at the farm."

"No? Where is she?" Lois tried to be nonchalant but her look of interest kept it from being so.

Clark couldn't very well say with Oliver so he just shrugged, "Out. I'm not her keeper, Lois."

"Coulda fooled me, Kent." Lois rolled her eyes, "Okay, we need to buy you a suit."

"What?" Clark looked at her slightly disbelieving.

"Sure, your shirts and pants are great for around the office but you need something more…suitable for the big stuff," Lois said as she ate a forkful of pancake.

"Lois I don't need a suit."

"Sure you do Clark, let me help with this okay?" Lois' tone indicated she would take no prisoners.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're just a bit controlling?"

"Zip it farm boy."

*-*

Several hours later, Clark was cursing Lois quietly under his breath. She had forced him into 10 different shirts, 5 sets of pants and three suits.

"Okay, enough is enough,." Clark said as Lois tried to get him to put on another white shirt and black pants.

"I'm just being a friend Clark."

"Friends are friends, this is pure torture."

"Okay, what bee got shoved up your bonnet?" Lois said, her mouth turning into a scowl.

"You know what Lois? I like my clothes, I like my style!" Clark said, exasperated.

"Yes because plaid is what everyone is wearing this season," Lois scorned.

Clark huffed furiously, "What is your problem, Lois? You go on at me about Lana, the way I dress, my mannerism, hell my personality… if you don't like me that much about me, why bother at all!"

Lois stood there, shocked by Clark's little outburst. "Clark…"

"Don't Lois."

*-*

The ride back to the farm to pick up Lois' car was a long and quiet one. Lois didn't attempt to speak to Clark and he didn't either. His anger had dissipated pretty quickly but there was something in Lois' look that told him not to go any further.

Not one to heed the signs Clark said quietly, "I'm sorry."

Lois looked at him from under her lashes;, she was sleepily leaning against the window of the truck's cab. "Hmm?"

"I said…" Clark smiled, Lois heard every word but for her, not doing the 'I-was-right-dance' was a great victory. "I said I was sorry. I should have bit your head off."

"It's okay Clark. Apology accepted."

"Thank you. Now my life can go on."

"Make fun off me all you want Smallville, you're going to miss me when I'm gone."

"Hardly,." Clark threw back. But the truth was he probably would, he would misses that bizarre, sarcastic, insanely strong and beautiful woman like a hole in the heart.

"Trust me, I'm Lois Lane."

"Lois Lane. Synonymous with the Daily Planet." Clark grinned.

"Damn right."

"So what will your first Pulitzer winning article be about?"

"The good Samaritan of course," Lois said as she stared at the now raining sky.

"You think he's Pulitzer worthy?"

"Why wouldn't he be? A man who can blur and is stronger than your average man? People will want to know about him and what's up with the red cape."

Clark mentally cursed Ollie for the cape stunt. He knew it had looked ridiculous. "The cape was a bit funny."

"Funny? Sure, but it did look pretty cool in the wind."

"But you weren't there."

"Somebody filmed it; it's circling YouTube as we speak."

YouTube, his faked rescue turned actual rescue was on YouTube. "Well still good luck to you trying to find the good Samaritan."

That was the one thing he could control, he wouldn't speak to Lois until he was absolutely sure or unless he absolutely had to.

"He'll come around, he just needs to see that we're on his side."

"…And you are?"

"Somebody who selflessly helps others with no credit?" Lois' eyebrows rose. "No, I'm going to burn him at the stake."

Clark sighed, Lois looked at him, "Come on Clark, the good Samaritan is a hero, but whenever he gets mentioned you suddenly look like someone killed a cat."

"It's not that. Everyone is putting so much stock into this guy. What if he can't live up to what everyone expects?"

"It's not what about people expect Clark, it's that he's even here to begin with." Lois' hand touched his on the gear stick. Clark stared at their hands for a moment until Lois looked uncomfortable and let go.

"Jeez Smallville wipe the windows will ya?" Lois teased as the rain began pelting the windscreen harder until it became near impossible to see out of.

Clark sighed, "Right."

*-*

Clark dropped his keys on to the table, running his hand through his wet hair as he looked back at Lois, she was shivering, "Wait, let me get you a jumper," he said as he jogged up the stairs.

Lois was holding on to the teapot when Clark returned in his now dry clothes, she signaled to him if he wanted a cup, he nodded. Lois continued to go about her business in the kitchen, while Clark left the jumper and a pair of sweats on the side as he walked into the living room. Making sure that Lois was in no danger of coming into the room, he narrowed his eyes, the familiar feeling of warmth welled up behind his eyes and shot right through them, lighting the fire in the fireplace.

Flicking the television on, Clark put the news on, watching the weather forecast until something more interesting came on. Lois handed him a mug of hot tea, her hand swimming in his jumper.

"Thanks, nothing is worse than wet clothes on a cold day," Lois said, smiling.

"No problem, it's not like you wouldn't have raided my wardrobe anyway," Clark teased.

"Right, because every girl dreams of primary coloured clothes and enough jeans to last a lifetime."

"I don't own that many pairs, Lois."

"I bet you do." Lois sat down beside Clark, tucking her feet under her, trying to get them warmer.

"Another movie? To keep you busy?" Clark suggested.

"Why not, it's not like I want to go back out into that." Lois wrinkled her nose in disgust as she stared back out to the dreary sky.

Sitting there in the warmth of the Kent living room, Lois was barely awake for a third of the film before she fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Lois stretched her arms high above her head as she rolled on to her back. Opening her eyes, she expected to see the familiarity of her old room at the Kent farm but that was not what met her startled eyes. A plain white ceiling above her, pale blue sheets around her, this was not the room she had previously been in.

"Clark?" Lois called, knowing the fumbling boy scout, he had probably brought her up to his room if she had slept on the couch. _The newly decorated farm…_

"Smallville?"

Throwing back the blankets, Lois was glad to see she was still wearing her brightly colored fully covered pajamas._ Wait, was I even wearing them last night? _

"Clark?!" Lois said a little more loudly, in case he hadn't heard her; Clark tended to live in his own little world. Opening the door, Lois had expected to see the Kent farm hallway on the other side but it was not what she saw. Lois felt her breath hitch as she began to hyperventilate.

"What? Where…? Where am I?" Lois' eyes felt like saucers to even her as she tried to gain purchase on the fact that she had woken up in a strange apartment with no recollection of how she got there. In the apartment's favour, if it could possible have one at this point, it was nicely furnished, simple but with an easy style. Like something, Lois herself might have picked. Spying a phone on a table in the living room, Lois quickly ran down the hallway and grasped the handset like it was the best thing on Earth she had ever seen. Dialling Clark, Lois was not pleased when she heard an automated voice say, 'The number you have called is not in service; please try again later.'

"What do you mean it's not in service?!" Lois yelled at the phone. Slamming it back down on the receiver, Lois looked around the room; strangely, no photos adorned any of the mantels or bookshelves. Maybe, Lois had been wrong; maybe it was a show home that she had somehow ended up…

The phone began to ring, grabbing it at high speed, Lois answered, "Clark?"

"Wake up call for Ms. Lane," A preppy male voice told her.

"What?" Lois said incredulously.

"This is the 7 am wake up call for Lois Lane. As always," The man told her. "You are Lois Lane, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am. But…" The phone clicked off. Lois stared at the phone. Noticing for the first time that it was on a table with drawers, Lois pulled the first one opened and pulled out an address book. The first page was filled with a scribble she couldn't understand. But flipping to L, she saw at the top, Lane, Lucy and Lane, Sam. Flipping back to K, under it was both Clark and Martha but neither was a number she recognized for them.

Quickly, she dialled the number for Clark and waited for him to answer. A deep voice answered, "Hello."

"Umm, hi," Lois said, her tone nervous, "May I speak with Clark Kent?"

"Speaking," The man told her.

"Oh. Sorry, I, uh…" Lois put the phone down abruptly. She may have called Clark Kent but that was not Clark Kent on the other end of the line. His voice was all wrong, nothing like she recognised.

Again, the phone rang and Lois looked at it as if it was some kind of co-conspirator to her misery. Letting the machine take it, it was the wake-up call man again. "This is the 7:15am wake up call for Ms. Lane. You know you don't want to be late for work, do you?"

Work? Lois looked down at her current state of dress. I can't go to work like this. "Records! The Planet will have records…"

Walking back into the bedroom, Lois opened the closet, "Oh, really?"

It was rows of shirts, skirts and pants but nothing in a style Lois herself actually wore; it was all frilly and 1940's style. Grabbing a plain black skirt, with matching waistcoat and a dark blue shirt, Lois looked down at the array of shoes.

"Oh, now I recognize the 'me' in this wardrobe." Lois smiled to herself as she picked up a pair of black Prada stilettos. Scrunching up her nose, Lois looked down, "Okay, using the shower is just a bit creepy…"

The answering machine resounded again, "This is the 7:30am wake up call for Ms. Lane."

"Okay! Okay, I'm showering!" Lois shouted at the machine.

SSS

Hair pulled up into a bun to save time, Lois took a peek at the clock; it was 8:20. "Jeez! I'm late." Running past the front desk and out the gilded doors of the apartment building, Lois stuck her arm out, the yellow taxi didn't even attempt to slow. Lois cursed under her breath, "I can't be late…"

Out of nowhere there was a loud whistle, it pierced the air so hard, it made Lois turn her head, the next taxi approaching stopped right in front of Lois. Looking up at the sky, Lois shrugged, "Thanks!" Opening the door, Lois slipped into the cab, "Daily Planet, please."

SSS

Lois let out a sigh of relief when she saw the iconic Daily Planet building come into view. She would find Clark and they would fix whatever mistake had happened. Hurrying to the front doors, Lois notice that the Planet was much busier than it usually was at this time of the morning; at least 50 people were trying to get in to the building behind her. Lois also didn't appreciate the sardine style elevator ride to the basement. Pushing her way out, Lois didn't even bother to apologize to the woman standing next to her, as her elbow had been in Lois' side the whole time.

Taking a breath, Lois looked around; suddenly, like before, everything was different. It looked like the Daily Planet, it even had the spinning globe on the top but it wasn't her Planet. Grabbing the arm of a young man holding a camera, he reminded her a lot of Jimmy, she cornered him, "Hi excuse me, but where is Clark Kent?"

"CK? Well, for starters he doesn't work in the basement."

"What?" So in the five hours they'd been apart, somehow Tess had promoted him, above her.

"Yeah, he works up on 6 with Lois Lane," The young man told her.

"Lois…Lane," Lois repeated.

"Yeah, Lois Lane. Daily Planet's star reporter;, she just won a Pulitzer, you know."

_Won a Pulitzer? _Lois thought. Not possible; she was barely out of writing those stupid articles about upcoming fire department announcements. Suddenly, the world was spinning and swirly in ways Lois didn't like.

"Are… are you okay?" he asked, but Lois lost purchase on reality as she fainted. Expecting to fall with a heavy thump on to the floor, Lois was even more shocked that she didn't. Opening her eyes, her hazel ones met dazzling blue ones, behind thick- rimmed black glasses.

"Huh …" Lois mumbled. She realized the man had caught her, his arm around her shoulders, his hand steadying her hip.

"Are you alright, Miss?" Soft spoken to boot, Lois tried to make her brain focus. He slowly righted her, his hands on her face, still trying to look into her eyes to see if she had any brain damage. Maybe not yet…

"Do you know your name?"

"Yeah." Lois replied, her fire returning, "It's Lo-…" Lois noticed the man had a press pass and of course it had to say Clark Kent.

"I'm sorry?" 'Clark' replied.

"Jo. Jo… Sullivan," Lois reeled off, her eyes barely believing themselves as she looked at 'Clark'. He was still tall like her Clark but he stood slightly hunched, like he was trying to hide it, along with the extremely loose suit that seemed to hang off him, masking his body. His hair was a loose mop on top his head, flopping over his eyes and behind his glasses. _Glasses…_

"Well, Miss Sullivan, you might want to take it easy. Jimmy, what happened?" Clark asked Jimmy, who had remained silent until now.

"One minute she was fine, then you were catching her."

_Jimmy… Jimmy Olsen_, Lois thought, stumbling slightly. Clark's hand went back to her arm, holding her in place gently.

"But she was looking for you,." Jimmy told him.

Lois flushed, "I…uh…"

"Oh, CK, it's 9 o'clock. You better get back upstairs before Lois crucifies you,." Jimmy said quickly as he looked at his watch.

Clark looked back at Lois, who felt like she was having an out of body experience. "But…"

"It's okay, Clark. I'll take care of Miss Sullivan." Both Jimmy and Clark nodded their assent and Lois was about to protest when Jimmy guided her to a chair and indicated for her to sit on it. Lois watched as Clark made his way back to the elevator, unable to make it in a straight line;, he managed to knock over a stack of papers and spill a cup of coffee before he got there.

"Okay, so where is the joke?" Lois asked, Jimmy just looked at her confused. "Come on, I know Clark Kent. That is not Clark Kent." Lois gestured to the mess Clark had just made.

Jimmy looked at her, bewildered, "I'm sorry I don't…"

"Clark Kent, Smallville, Kansas farm boy, King of plaid,." Lois reeled off.

Jimmy raised his eyebrows, "Sure, Clark's from Kansas. Pretty sure he lived on a farm too."

This is…insane. Not possible, Lois sighed, "Fine, but can you at least direct me to a place that serves a good cup of coffee?"

"Sure, Tony's just across the road does a pretty good cup." Jimmy pointed to the single window in the basement and through the tiny shaft of light, Lois could see the bottom of the coffee shop Jimmy was talking about.

"Great," Lois said to herself as she turned towards the elevator. Jimmy called after her, "Wait, Miss Sullivan!"

"Call me Jo!" Lois shouted back as the doors closed between her and Jimmy.

SSS

The prospect of hot coffee was something Lois could look forward to, at least when someone had the sense to leave some money in a petty cash tin in the bottom of the cupboard. "A cup of coffee please, regular,." Lois said to the waitress as she took a seat by the window. Lois tried to take stock of what had happened and her only theory was that someone of the meteor- infected persuasion was playing fun and games with her.

_So, I really need to get into the Daily Planet records and police reports to see if there is anything funny going on the last few days_, Lois decided as her cup of coffee arrived, piping hot and tantalizing. "Thanks," she replied as the waitress nodded.

Picking up the sugar shaker, Lois poured an inordinate amount in to her mug. An older woman sitting to her left laughed, "That's a lot of sugar there, honey."

"Yeah, I think I'm going to need it," Lois sighed. Taking her first sip, Lois let out a sigh of contentment.

"You'll rot your teeth, you know."

Lois turned to the woman, about to reel off but she thought better of it; the woman was just being kind., "Probably, but why worry about tomorrow when you have to get through today, right?"

"I don't think the saying goes like that…" The woman pulled her shawl tighter around her body as if to protect her from a sudden shiver. Lois spied the paper in front of her, "Could I borrow that, please?"

"Sure, sweetheart." The lady put down a ten and got her things together, handing Lois the paper as she left.

Lois opened it up to the first page, it was the Daily Planet, the headline and article 'Superman saves 6' taking up most of the front page. The picture showed an apartment building engulfed in a blaze and it recounted how this 'Super-man' had run into the burning building and saved the people the fire department had been unable to get to. To top it all off, he had stopped the fire in his wake.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Lois muttered. Flicking through the pages, Lois noted few things of interest as she sipped her coffee and ordered a bagel when she felt her stomach rumbling. When Lois decided she was done, she closed the paper and smoothed out the creases and only then she did she notice the date.

_Thursday 20th November 2018_.

"Oh my god." Lois left the appropriate amount of money on the side as she practically dashed out of the café. Ignoring the hustle and bustle of the city, Lois hurried back down the street until she was opposite the Planet. Without looking she walked out into the street until she heard a taxi's loud horn, meters from where she stood.

As if was paralyzed from the waist down, Lois stared as the car continued to hurtle towards her, blinking a moment, and then Lois was no longer on the ground. She was floating, floating upward in a warm cocoon.

"Am I dead?" Lois asked herself.

"No, but you really should be more careful, Miss."

Lois' eyes flew open; she was in the arms of a man, a man wearing a red cape and primary coloured suit. Quirking an eyebrow, she spied a red and yellow 'S' adorning his chest. "…And what is that? A fashion statement?"

He looked down at his S, confused. "It's my family crest."

"Okay, S-man. You can put me down now." Lois gestured to the fact they were still floating a few feet above the traffic outside the Planet.

"I'll drop you on the roof, if that's alright?" he asked.

"Whatever,." Lois half replied as she looked back down at the ground slowly becoming further and further away.

_S-man. Superman, Superman saves 6_. "You're Superman, aren't you?" Lois observed along with the fact that, 'Superman's' arms were around her waist, holding her tight as they continued their ascent to the Planet's roof.

"Yes. Yes, I am." Superman looked at her quizzically, as if bemused by her.

"I had nightmares about a guy in a red cape once," Lois said but quickly looked away when she realized he had heard her.

"I hope this time was much less traumatic for you." He tilted his dark head and, Lois noticed he had a piece of hair that obviously refused to go back with the rest of his hair. It looked like it almost curled into an S.

"Sure. Men flying around in tights in reality are much more reassuring," Lois threw back. She liked that he didn't try to hold back his smile, even though he turned his face away.

Superman nodded, "Of course."

Lois barely noticed when her feet touched the hard concrete of the Daily Planet's roof, "Nice." She smiled as Superman let his hands fall from her waist.

"Well, I better be going." Superman gestured upward.

"So this is what you do? Just swoop in and save the day…" Lois wrinkled her nose, "It seems a bit… empty."

"Saving people is who I am. I don't really see that as an empty pursuit."

Lois shook her head, "I mean…hell I don't know what I mean anymore."

Superman's head turned sharply, the same way someone's might if they heard a loud noise. Lois looked at Superman curiously; maybe he had heard a noise. "Up, up and away?"

"Something like that." Superman offered her another smile before he bent his knees into a crouch and launched himself towards the sky. Lois looked up until Superman was nothing but a red and blue blur in the sky.

_Red and blue…blur_, Lois' head snapped back as she came to a realization. _Jimmy's Good Samaritan. Hypothetically, of course, because if it was true then I'm… I'm 10 years into the future… my future. _Lois felt faint again, "Okay. Proof, facts Lane. You need facts before you start to panic."

Lois felt a steady pit of uncertainty filling her stomach. Sooner or later she was going to have to admit that this reality was exactly that -- reality.

SSS

Clark stretched as he tried to roll the kinks out of his shoulders. Even though his mother had moved out of the farm, it had never occurred to him to move all of his things into the master bedroom. He only used it for occasions like this when Lois stayed over or when Lana was staying.

"Lois?" Clark called, expecting her to answer. Nothing. Knocking on the door to his room, Clark waited but when there was no answer, he tentatively opened the door. Looking at the bed, it was half rumpled from her obvious attempts at sleep but there was nothing here that indicated when or why she had left.

"Lois," he repeated. As he walked around the bed, Clark looked for a note, something to tell him where Lois had gone but he didn't find it. Double checking the bathroom, Clark half peeped in through the crack in the door he had made, but swung it wide when he realized no one was in there.

_What the… _

SSS

Taking a deep breath, Lois stepped out of the elevator car on 6. It was a simple hallway, decorated in neutral beige but it belied the roaring loudness of the bullpen behind the double doors at the end of the corridor. Gulping, Lois forced herself to walk forward, almost knocking Jimmy over in the process. The young man looked even more startled to see her;, Lois watched as he absently fiddled with his bow tie.

"Miss Sullivan." Jimmy smiled, albeit a bit nervously.

"Jimmy, right?" Lois pretended to venture. "You said Clark worked on 6 right? I still need to speak to him if that's possible.

"CK? Sure, he should be by his desk. I'll take you," Jimmy offered Lois a wide grin. Lois returned the smile as she walked behind Jimmy into the bustling bullpen.

It was even louder that Lois thought it would be; the sights and sounds almost overwhelmed her. The basement was busy but the real bullpen, the place she aspired to, was more than she could imagine. To her left, there was a man arguing with the Chief of Police over the release of classified records and on her right was a woman typing furiously at her computer, coffee steaming in her cup.

"Hey, hey Clark!" Jimmy waved at the left corner of the bullpen. Lois noticed a dark head of hair at least a head height over everyone else begin to bob towards them. Lois turned to the television screens dotted around the bullpen, some showing stocks, some other articles and mostly showing the news as it broke. One of the screens was telling how Superman had stopped a bridge from collapsing in southern Korea.

"Hey Jimmy. Miss Sullivan, you're back," Clark said shyly but Lois was half listening to him as she watched a commentary on Superman's amazing feat.

"I see Miss Sullivan's seen Superman then," Jimmy nudged at Lois.

She turned, "Huh?"

"Don't worry, any woman in a 3 mile radius just swoons over Superman,." Jimmy laughed but Clark looked uncomfortable.

"I guess, if you like that sort of thing. I was just curious because he saved me, that's all." Lois watched Clark, his blue eyes searching her face.

"So…Superman, he saved you?" Clark asked her.

"Yeah, I was playing cat and mouse with a speeding vehicle until Superman whisked me up to the roof. Which by the way is the strangest thing ever." Lois shivered as she remembered the strange floating feeling she had experienced in Superman's arms. "Not that I'm not grateful, he did me a big favour."

Unbeknownst to them, Perry White had been standing in the vicinity for the last 5 minutes and listening to Lois' story. Turning so that he stood next to Clark, Perry looked Lois up and down, he asked Clark, "Who's this?"

"Uh, that's Miss…Miss Sullivan." Clark pushed his glasses back up his nose as Perry turned back to Lois.

"Miss Sullivan, got a first name?" Perry demanded.

"Jo." Lois said quickly.

"Okay, Sullivan, grab a desk and start writing." Perry indicated to either of the two free desks in the bullpen.

Lois blinked, "What?"

"Are you hard of hearing?" Perry asked as someone shoved a piece of paper under his nose for his inspection.

"No, I'm just wondering why you're hiring me." Lois was completely confused. She was being rehired to her place of work only under a different name.

"You're a reporter aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Well, I'll tell you three things that sell newspapers Miss Sullivan: sex, death and Superman," Perry reeled off as he pushed the paper back out from under him. "So write your Superman story, have Kent check it over and then we'll talk about me actually hiring you." Perry walked away from them, leaving Lois like she had been caught in a tornado that was his wake.

"Wow, you must have really impressed the Chief there, Jo. You don't mind if I call you, Jo?" Jimmy twittered as Lois walked over to the free desk closest to her.

"Sure, Jimmy, let me just boot up this computer…" Lois frowned as she looked for the on button. Clark who hadn't moved for the duration of the conversation walked over to Lois' new desk and flicked several buttons and the computer sprung to life.

"Thanks Clark." Lois smiled.

"No problem." Clark smiled back, his eyes crinkling as he did so and Lois felt completely strange for noticing.

"Smallville!" The corner where Clark came from yelled.

Jimmy rolled his eyes, "Lois."

Lois nodded, every part of her being tell her to go and seek out this other 'Lois Lane' but she figured she'd need more to go on before she started accusing anyone or starting any fights she wasn't sure she could win.

Clark blushed, "I, uh, have to go."

"Olsen!" The voice demanded.

Jimmy sighed, "Yeah, I'm with him. See you later, Jo. We should have welcome drinks!"

Lois nodded, "Sure, why not." Lois figured this would be the best way to get information without being too suspicious about it.

"Great!" Jimmy agreed enthusiastically before Clark guided him off in the opposite direction.

SSS

Lois worked for several hours, half her time spent flicking through the Planet's database looking for anything she could on the meteor infected but it hadn't even scrounged up enough to prove their existence let alone that they had somehow sent Lois to the future. Unsurprisingly, Jimmy had flicked back and forth between whatever he was doing and coming to talk to Lois, so for a least some of her time she had been forced to write her Superman story. Using some of that time, she looked up old articles about him.

"Hey Jimmy. When would you say Superman's first appearance was?" Lois asked as she chewed a pencil between her teeth.

"Umm…sometime in 2009, I think," Jimmy replied, looking thoughtful for a moment. Lois clicked to the 2009 file archive on her computer. It was full of various pieces of information, some useful some not so.

"Oh maybe try…" Jimmy walked over to Lois' computer and typed on a few of the key. "Ah, 'I spent the night with Superman.' His first interview."

"I spent the night with Superman? Seriously?" Lois looked at Jimmy with her eyebrows raised.

"Well, the Chief thought of it." Jimmy looked at her sheepishly.

"Okay, so we've got vital stats, 6 foot 4, 225lbs…can fly…x-ray vision,." Lois laughed, "I bet that's interesting."

"Yeah, but he can't see through lead."

"Lead, I'll remember that." Lois continued to read the article, noting how biased the reporter seemed to be, singing the praises of the red caped hero. "Jeez, infatuation much."

Jimmy looked at Lois, "What do you mean?"

Lois pointed to the screen, "Whoever wrote this clearly isn't thinking with a clear head. It's obvious they're suffering from a severe case of hero worship. It's sad really…"

"Hero worship? Doubt it, Lois would never let something like that get in the way of her work," Jimmy replied.

"What?" Lois said, drowning in the feeling of an icy bucket of water being poured over her.

"Lois, she did Superman's first interview and pretty much most of them since then. They're friends."

Lois had written this, she grimaced as she looked at the screen. Aapparently, she had missed her calling in P.R., clearly. "Right. Lois."

"Yup. Lois." Jimmy continued to fiddle with several switches on his camera. Lois dropped the pencil from her mouth and turned to Jimmy again.

"Lois won a Pulitzer, right? What was that for?" Lois asked hopefully as Jimmy nodded, another smile on his face.

"Why the world doesn't need Superman,." Jimmy said as he pulled up another article from a file aptly named 'LL's past articles'.

Dread seemed to roll around in Lois' stomach as she read the words on the page. It wasn't like the first, which was full of hope and awe of this mystery hero. This one held anger, a lot of it, like a proverbial f-you to an old boyfriend.

"Jimmy, where Lois and Superman ever…" Lois made a face and hope Jimmy would catch on. He looked at her, his eyes widening.

"Oh, uh…you mean…together." Jimmy pulled at his collar, as if he was suddenly overheating. "There was some…insinuation when he first arrived but then he left and Lois met Richard and then had Jason."

"Had Jason?" Lois mumbled as she clicked her computer back to its search engine.

"Jason, her son."

_Son. Lois had a son, with this Richard_, "…and Richard, what's he like?"

"Richard is the Chief's nephew; he works here at the Planet when he's not flying his plane. He's a good guy, good for Lois." Lois nodded as she tried to absorb the words. It was funny to hear that she had a son and a stable relationship when she couldn't even keep her cactus alive. 10 years changes a lot, maybe even everything.

"Sullivan!" Perry called, Lois almost jumped out of her skin.

"Does he always do that?" Lois glared as she stood.

"Yeah, it's kind of his thing."

"Chief?" Lois asked, her hand on her hip as she looked up at her editor. Everyone in the bullpen didn't stop but their ears perked up to heard Perry's reply.

"Tell me Sullivan, do you have copy for me?" Perry asked, aggravated.

"I do." Lois held up two sheets of typed paper.

"Give 'em here."

Lois strode over to the door to Perry's office, handing him the paper, he glanced at it for a moment and then seemed to read it in more depth. "It's good." He stopped a paper boy who walked past him, "Run it, page 3."

"Page 3? I thought you said Superman sells," Lois said. Perry looked at her somewhat impressed.

"He does, you don't. Now if he had saved Lois, that would be page 1. Until you're as good as her, page 3 is all you get Sullivan." Perry walked back into his office before peering out again, "Go to Janine on 3 and get a pay check. Welcome to the Planet, Jo Sullivan."

"Wow, great job," Clark said, appearing out of nowhere and scaring Lois.

"Holy…" Lois clutched her chest, "God, Clark you almost killed me."

"Kent! Sullivan!" Perry called. Clark fumbled with the now closed door, so Lois opened it for him as she walked in behind him.

"Mr. White?" Clark asked as he stepped through the door.

"While you're here, take Miss Sullivan out. Show her the ropes."

What? I'm going to be shown the ropes by Clark Kent? "Chief that's not necessary," Lois tried to reason.

"My paper, my rules. Now go." Perry shooed them with a wave of his hand, which demanded to be answered.

Lois looked up Clark, a soft smile on his face as he opened the door for her. _Oh god, kill me now. _


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

As she had promised, Lois went out for drinks with Clark and Jimmy after Clark had, for the better part of the day, shown her the stock cupboard, sporadically disappearing for intervals at a time. _Not only is this Clark Kent ever morally upstanding, he's also even weirder than usual._

But still, Lois had managed to get him to undo the several million buttons on his waistcoat and loosen his tie while he drank his beer. Lois was more surprised that he even had a beer in hand at all.

"So Jo, where are you from?" Jimmy asked as he flicked a couple of peanuts across the bar.

"Me? All over. My dad…" Lois blinked as Clark and Jimmy looked at her expectantly. "…travels a lot. So I usually just say I'm from Metropolis. It feels pretty homey to me."

"Clark's from Smallville, obviously." Jimmy laughed and Lois lifted her beer to him but Clark just looked confused.

"Meteor capital of the world," Lois threw back.

Clark looked at her sharply, "What?"

"You know those freaky little meteor rocks that send everyone up crazy river." Lois looked at both Jimmy and Clark, their faces blank. Or at least Clark's face was trying to be. "Oh come on, you can't not know what those things are. You know, green in that sickly…"

Clark's eyes narrowed as he stood, "Jo, could I talk to you?"

Lois frowned, "Uh, I guess."

Clark guided Lois to a quieter part of the already deserted bar; Lois looked around before she looked up at Clark. In the dim of the room she could still make out his eyes shifting from side to side as he pushed his glasses further up his nose.

"Now, Miss Sullivan…" Clark began.

"Jo," Lois corrected, hoping to put Clark at ease but it only seemed to jar him more.

"Well, Jo. I don't think it would be…a good idea if you went around talking about green meteor rocks," Clark said as quietly as possible while actually having Lois be able to hear him.

"Why not? After everything that's happened with the meteor infected…" Lois looked at Clark as he tilted his head, "What? Why are you looking at me like I've grown a second head?"

"No one has called meta-humans meteor infected in over 8 years," Clark said. Lois shook her head.

"Meta-humans?" Lois asked.

"People infected by Kryptonite," Clark explained.

Lois nodded, "Right, Kryptonite."

There was a moment's silence before, "What's Kryptonite?"

SSS

Clark looked at Lois again like she was born on another planet. Jimmy waved Lois and Clark back over their table. "Okay, so that was the wrong answer." Lois mumbled as they walked back over to where Jimmy sat.

"Are you familiar with Superman's origins?" Clark asked. Lois shook her head.

"You could say I'm Superman-lite."

Jimmy looked at them both, "Hey guys, you okay?"

"Sure. Clark was just explaining Superman to me," Lois said weakly.

"Well, Superman isn't from Earth…" Jimmy began.

Lois blinked, "Not from Earth? Where is he from? Mars?"

Jimmy laughed and shook his head, "No, Krypton."

"Krypton. How is that spelt? With a C-r-…"

"No, Krypton with a K," Clark said.

"Right, what was I thinking? Krypton with a K." Lois rolled her eyes.

"But there are circumstances to Superman's…arrival here on Earth that aren't common knowledge," Clark spoke again in that quiet tone that made Lois lean forward as if that would suddenly make what he had to say louder.

"Something to do with the meteor rocks," Lois concluded.

Clark sighed, "I don't know if I can trust you with this."

Lois placed her hand over Clark's comforting him and partly herself, so far from home and a way out getting further and further from her reach. "I know it's hard to trust someone you've just met but even if you don't tell me then you're just going to worry about me saying something anyway."

"There was a meteor shower that was what brought Superman here," Clark said in a rush.

"A meteor shower?" Lois asked, slightly disbelieving.

"Yes, well not the meteors themselves but they provided the cover for his ship. The meteors themselves were radioactive pieces of his home world, Krypton. It was only revealed after the big fiasco with New Krypton," Jimmy explained.

"Kryptonite," Lois repeated, and Clark nodded. "Wait, they were radioactive?"

Clark nodded, "It's their radioactivity that turns humans into meta-humans."

"And Superman? What does it do to him?" Lois asked, _They know a lot about Superman, both of them. Question is how much is a lot?_

Clark looked away from her, pained as he answered. "It's deadly to him. Exposure will weaken him but if it's prolonged…" Clark didn't say the word but Lois knew what he meant.

"Oh." Lois took a sip of her beer, before downing her shot.

"Wow," Jimmy muttered as Lois gestured for the bartender to bring her another shot.

"Yeah," Clark agreed but Lois ignored them both; she needed out, need an escape from this madness.

_Being in the future with no escape as the two non-versions of my friends explain a caped wonder to me isn't something I can do; but drinking? Drinking is my bitch, Lois thought. Don't you just love thoughts that being with 'being in the future…'._

"When life hands you lemons, make lemonade!" Lois toasted as she downed another shot followed by another sip of beer.

SSS

Lois frowned as Clark held her up, his arm around her waist, "Clark Kent."

"Yes?" Clark looked down at Lois, his glasses falling off his nose again.

"You're Clark Kent," Lois sighed.

"I am."

"You can't be," Lois said as she tried to pull away from his surprisingly tight hold.

Clark stiffened, "Why can't I be?"

"Clark is…Clark. You're different, you're not like him. Hell you're more like… Superman!" Lois scrunched up her nose as the taxi pulled up to the curb, almost splashing her with water.

"Jo, I have no idea what you mean."

Had Lois been in her right mind she might have picked up on Clark's unease, his rigid posture and general tense aura as he released her from his grip. "I mean when did you become all, Miss this and Miss that." Lois opened the cab door and almost fell into the back of it. Clark grabbed her waist again, easing her into the car. Lois turned onto her back, looking up at Clark, "Where is the old Clark? The Clark who plays football, eats gummy bears and swoons over Lana Lang? Oh…you can maybe give that part up."

"I haven't played football since…" Clark frozen for a moment, like someone had told him something terrible. "What do you mean?"

Lois' head lolled on the seat, "I mean I miss my Clark."

The cabbie looked back at Clark, then at Lois, "It's extra if she vomits."

Clark gently moved Lois' legs to the side as he got in behind her, "Okay, but I need you to change the address."

The cabbie nodded, "Sure."

SSS

Lois woke up in another bed she didn't recognize. "Oh, this can't be happening." But giving herself a quick once over, she was still fully clothed in her work attire from yesterday.

"Depends on what this is," Clark said, perching on the end of the bed.

Lois pushed back her hair, somehow free of it's bun and flopping in front of her eyes. "Clark."

"We've established that."

"Oh, look who's snarky in the morning," Lois mumbled as Clark offered her coffee and some pancakes.

"You made pancakes, pancakes before work?" Lois looked at him, amazed.

"My mother always says…" Clark said with a look of nostalgia.

"…an army marches on it's stomach," Lois finished. "I know."

"The thing is Miss Sullivan, how do you know?" Clark replied, his face serious.

"Okay, this is going to sound well -- insane." Lois sighed, pushing her hair back. "But can we do crazy after breakfast please? Pancakes sound really good."

SSS

Clark lent Lois a shirt and some pants for after she showered and they both ate in relative silence. Lois coughed, "You have a great place here Clark, you did it up yourself?"

Clark looked at her surprised, "Actually I did."

"I recognized that…" Lois gestured to a cabinet in the far corner. Lois could feel her hair dripping against Clark's dark blue shirt he had leant her, regardless of the circumstance, it felt good to have something she recognized around her…or on her.

"Jo, I need you to tell me what's going on," Clark said softly.

"On? As opposed to off?" Lois laughed but it was nervous and didn't do much to stall the conversation. "Okay, so one day I went to sleep and it was 2008 and when I woke up it was here and now, 2018."

Clark blinked a few times, "So, you traveled…"

"10 years into the future. I know, crazy right?" Lois took another bite of the pancakes in front of her. "I figured it was one of those -- meta-humans you talked about. Where I'm from they spend half their time trying to kill me and my friends."

Clark turned his back as he went back to the coffee pot pouring another cup for himself. "Time travel. I mean, how is that even possible?"

"I don't know but there was this one time that L-someone I know got sent to another plane of existence through static. I stop questioning it now." Lois sipped her hot sugary coffee with pleasure.

"It also doesn't explain how you know me," Clark said pointedly.

"Know you? I don't understand." Lois feigned a look of innocence.

"Last night, you spent a whole taxi ride telling me I wasn't myself. That I had changed."

"Well, you can chalk that one up to drunken lewdness because we never met until yesterday." Lois stood up, looking for her shoes.

"Jo, is there something you're not telling me?" Clark's hand touched Lois' shoulder; she almost jumped out of her skin at the touch.

"Uh, no, Clark, why would there be? I just admitted I've traveled in time." Lois laughed.

"Okay." Clark didn't seem convinced.

There was a rapid knock at the door. Lois had one shoe while she looked for the other, "You might want to get that."

Clark looked at her, "We're not done."

Lois smiled uncomfortably, "Great."

Clark opened the door as a medium height, dark haired woman practically stormed in, like a tornado, "Clark, you're late and we have a story…"

Lois found her other shoe and held it up like a prize, "Got it."

The woman looked at Lois then back at Clark, "Oh, I'm sorry. Am I interrupting something?" But Lois noticed how her face hardened almost perceptibly.

"What?" Lois said, words out before she could stop them, "You think because I'm standing here in Clark's clothes that we…" Lois gestured a hand between them. "Oh no."

Clark nodded, "Lois, this is Jo; she's the new hire Perry was talking about."

Lois looked at the other woman, so she was 10 years later version of herself. "Lois Lane."

She nodded, "That's what my Pulitzer says."

Oh, she is not happy that I'm here half dressed with Clark. "That's what I hear, nice to meet you."

Lois didn't offer her hand, knowing the other Lois wouldn't have taken it anyway. She looked good but strangely enough, nothing like her. Like Clark and Jimmy, she bore some similar characteristics to the person Lois knew herself, dark hair and dark eyes, but other than that, she couldn't have picked her out of a line up.

"Sure." But Lois could detect the sarcasm.

Lois nodded, "Right, well you do that and Clark, I'll see you at work later?"

Clark nodded. His ears were even blushing. Shaking her head, Lois thought, some things never change. Farm boys still get embarrassed about the birds and the bees.

With a curt nod, Lois left Clark and Alt!Lois to their discussion or as soon as the door shut, Lois' berating of Clark. "Showing the new girl around were you?"

Lois sighed, "Whatever." Hailing a cab, Lois gave the address of her apartment and closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the city as she tried to figure out her next move.

SSS

Putting down the spare set of keys she had found in the draw on the side, Lois flicked on the light switch that sent a flood of light into the room. Blinking back, Lois picked up the one letter that had landed on the mat under her feet.

Addressed to Lois Lane, she opened it. It was a bill for all the utilities in the apartment; it was dated for the month. Lois bit her lip as she thought, why am I, or is she, renting an apartment to no one. She obviously hasn't come back here since I've been here and there was no sign of her boyfriend or her son.

"Okay, this is just too complicated for one morning," Lois decided as she walked over to the daunting 6ft fridge which was luckily stocked with a few varying items that Lois could have put into a sandwich but she decided take out would probably be a better idea at this point. Opening the freezer side, Lois smiled as she spotted a tub of rocky road ice cream at the back. Grabbing the pot, Lois hunted around for the spoon draw and dug out one to scoop the ice cream up. Lois frowned when she couldn't even get the spoon into the hardened ice cream. Leaving it for a moment, Lois looked out over to the skyline. The apartment was obviously a real find, like the hotel she and Clark had stayed in it had floor to ceiling glass windows and doors that lead out onto a balcony 9 floors up from the ground.

But looking out at the glittering lights of Metropolis, there were familiar ones that she recognized but then there were buildings that were completely alien to her. Alien, that seems like the operative word today. An alien who saves the world on a daily basis without thanks or wanting them. Alien is the feeling that I have when I look at anything I know I'm supposed to recognize. _Jeez, why is everything so complicated?_

Lois refused to sit there feeling sorry for herself; grabbing the pot of ice cream and the spoon, she marched to the door, but as she turned the doorknob she remembered she was weearing Clark's clothes. Yeah that was just what she needed, everyone thinking she slept her way into her job.

One clothing change later, Lois was back at the Planet, ice cream returned to the freezer but coffee, hot and laced with espresso, in its place. Trying to turn up anything on meta-humans was harder than googling meteor freaks. It was like they were protected by a secret code she just didn't have. Lois had even browsed the archive that Jimmy had pulled Lois' articles from; it had held little information that would have been of use in this case but it did prove that they existed, just outside of her reach.

Lois was about to grab a print off when she was confronted with a small boy about 5 or 6. He had dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. He stared at her curiously. Lois sat half frozen; she didn't get on with children. They were small, had sticky fingers and generally didn't like her from the get go.

"You're new," he told her.

Lois nodded, "Yeah, I just started yesterday."

"You work with my dad."

"I do?" Lois asked.

Alt!Lois called out, "Jason." The boy turned his head to his name being called.

"I'll be right back," Jason said as he wandered through the desks back to his mother.

Lois sat there slightly dumbfounded;, she had just met her son. Or at least a son she could have in the future. Maybe this is more. More than the future. The differences between me and myself… Clark and Jimmy too. Maybe this is an alternate reality. At this point, how could things get any crazier?

SSS

Clark stood, arms folded behind Chloe as she typed away at the Isis computer system. The screens flashed by but with his Kryptonian memory and ability he could glean what was what and left out what was irrelevant.

"So still no sign of Lois?" Chloe asked, worried.

Clark shook his head, "No, it's like she just disappeared."

"That generally isn't like Lois, I mean she wouldn't leave, not without some clue of where she went." Chloe stopped at a document, it held no interest to her so she continued clicking. "Well, there is no sign of her in the hospital or police records in a 10 mile radius so that's something."

"Or nothing, if she's hurt and can't get to a hospital," Clark said, exasperated.

"Lois is a lot of things but helpless isn't one of them, Clark, you know that,." Chloe replied.

Clark knew that; Lois was one of the strongest women he knew, but he had a feeling in the pit of his stomach that, Lois was gone. Just gone. At this point he didn't know how to vocalize his fear; his mind and his feelings were rarely on the same page and Lois was a blind for spot for him. Or a moving target.

"Look, Chloe, we need to turn something up soon…"

"Or what Clark? You'll huff and puff and blow a house down?" Chloe let a small smile pass her lips.,

Which I could actually do, Clark let out an angry sigh of frustration. Technically, Lois had only been gone a few hours but her cell phone was no longer in service and no one from work had seen her and it had been over 10 hours since Clark saw her last. 10 hours is a lot of time for Lois to get into trouble. Clark knew he was probably over reacting but with that ache in his stomach, he couldn't deny he was worried.

"Clark, we'll find her. We'll get her back," Chloe said reassuringly. Clark wanted to believe her, desperately.

SSS

Lois wasn't surprised when Jason came back like he promised. "Jason."

"Hi," he said, he was holding a book in his hand.

"What's that?" Lois asked, Jason handed her the picture. It was of several stick people, labeled mommy, daddy, me and Superman.

"It's for Superman."

"He saved you? He saved me too," Lois said, handing Jason back the picture.

Clark walked over just as Jason turned to him, Clark stumbled slightly as he tried not to fall over and onto Jason. "Oh! Jason! Are you alright?"

"Mr. Clark," Jason said with a smile. Lois couldn't hide one at the mention of 'Mr. Clark'.

"Jason, have you taken your medication?" Clark asked, Jason nodded, "Have you eaten?" He shook his head in a no gesture, "Better go and tell Mommy Lois then."

Jason sighed, looking at Lois once more before he left, "Cute kid. Medication?"

"He has a weak immune system."

"Oh, but that's not why you're here is it Clark?"

"No, you still need to tell me what is really going on."

"I already did or did you miss my speech? That's surely gained me a lifetime in Belle Reeve."

"Jo, you're not crazy, I know that. But there is something you're not telling me."

Observant, so and so. Lois grumbled, "No, Clark there isn't."

"Lane! Kent! Sullivan!" Perry bellowed indicating to his office. Lois picked up her notebook and followed Clark.

"So I want you to go to Luthor's press conference. All of you." Lois nodded, Clark remained passive but Alt!Lois wasn't pleased.

"Perry, I have things to do, other stories, Jason. Let them handle it."

"Or Sullivan can learn from the best, the Lane and Kent team."

Lane and Kent? The best team? How'd that happen? Lois thought, Alt!Lois sighed and stormed out, she even yelled back, "Are you coming?" to both of them.

Alt!Lois stood right in front of Lois, "Let's get a few things straight, I'm not one to hand out favors because I already don't like you. You want to learn, that's fine but you don't get in my way."

_Wow, so I'm a bitch. Nice to know._ Lois thought sarcastically. "Whatever." But that only earned her another glare.

Clark offered her a sympathetic smile but Lois just wasn't feeling it.

SSS

Clark informed Lois on the way there, to the prison, of what had occurred on the yacht and how Lex had been imprisoned but he was still controlling things even from the inside. What they needed was a way to get proof of it and get the scoop from Luthor all in one sitting. No pressure then.

Lois didn't really know what to expect, meeting Lex Luthor here. He was a strange sort of man in her world. He was quiet and sinister, his mind constantly working. But even in those vague moments that he did show himself for the evil he truly was he held himself with a quiet stillness and had a low voice that sent shivers of the wrong kind down her spine. It seemed that this version of Lex was even worse than her own, terrorizing both Lois and Jason and almost killing Superman.

The prison was the cold sort that looked wrong even in the daylight; the barbed wire easily intimidating the worst of the criminal element as it spiraled and spindled in an ugly fashion. The guards were armed up to the nines, even guns rested on their hips, locked and loaded in case the need arose. Lois couldn't suppress her nerves completely, Clark looked at her with concern on his face, she shook her head. Alt!Lois on the other hand strode into the building with no fear in her heart. She demanded that they be able to see Lex and if not, she would personally see to it that his life became a living hell.

"Lois is a little…abrasive," Clark said by way of explanation.

"I like it. Why take crap when you don't have to," Lois replied, she earned a look from Alt!Lois as she looked back listening to their conversation.

"Yeah, well, people will walk all over you if you let them," Alt!Lois said, less reluctantly than before.

"No point even letting them try,." Lois replied almost subconsciously.

Alt!Lois smiled, "Exactly."

The guard opened a series of doors, buzzing them in at all the appropriate intervals and Lois could almost hear the jeers from the corridor they were in. Lots of 'hey sweetness' and 'come on over sugar' were cat called to them. Lois felt like shouting something back but she knew that until they had seen Lex, she best be on her good behavior.

"Ms. Lane, Mr Kent," A smooth voice called, it was so smooth that if Lois was so inclined she could have rolled off it. "And I don't believe we've met."

Still bald, Lex sat down on a chair in front of them, a steel table between them and Lex's hands chained to a chain which connected to the floor. He was wearing a monotonous plain blue boiler suit and canvas shoes. Lois didn't offer her hand as she sat down on the chair left of Clark.

"No introductions? I'm shocked, Lois."

Alt!Lois' eyes narrowed. "She's not the reason why we're here."

"Of course, you want to hear my side of the story," Lex said, as if they were sitting in the comfort of his own home.

Lois noticed Clark shift and tense, his body rigid like he was trying to control himself not to strike. Lois put her hand on Clark's arm, he moved but he didn't look at her, he also un-tensed his fists.

"Superman and I have such a complicated relationship," Lex said.

"Yeah, you being evil and him stopping you," Alt!Lois said in a matter of fact tone. "I mean how many times has he stopped you now? Too many times?"

Lex's eye twitched but other than that there was no indication that he had even heard what Lois said, "Yes, it has been a few but yet I remain uneventful of that but you, Lois, you can't let go, can you?"

Lois watched Alt!Lois, she tried to hide it but it landed hard. Lex was always known to go after the jugular and this Lois' was Superman.

"Look Mr Luthor, I understand that you have several…limitations being here in prison and I'm glad of it but there are rumors that your company is entering into some unsavory business. So the real question is, is that your doing or did someone finally knock you off your high horse?" Lois asked, as if she were talking about something trifling.

"Oh, I like her, she has spirit." Lex leaned forward, Clark shifted slightly as if he was going to protect Lois should the need arise. "Tell me, Miss, have you met our caped wonder?"

"Do you know why obsession is never ending Mr Luthor. No? Because there is never an answer that's going to satisfy you. You're never going to win, not against Superman,." Lois replied.

"Another groupie? Maybe he'll share," Lex said, smirking to himself. Lois looked at him with disgust.

Clark stood abruptly, "Let's go."

Both women rose and walked out, Clark bringing up the rear. All Lois wanted to do was scrub herself clean. The crowd's rowdy cheers were too much, Lois just wanted to block them all out. Clark's hand came up to Lois' shoulder. She suddenly felt the weight of her situation press down on her, "I'm okay. Just need some air."

"We should get take out. I want to see if we can break at least a little bit into this story before bed,." Alt!Lois said as she unlocked her car.

Lois checked her watch, it was 6pm. "Wow, didn't realize it was so late."

"Time has no meaning on the job," Alt!Lois said as she started up the engine.

"Lois Lane's rules of journalism?" Lois said with a pang. With everything that was going on, it was her first time to really miss Clark and Chloe. Suddenly, Lois felt overwhelmed with how much she wanted to hear her cousin's voice. To see Clark roll his eyes as he ignored her when she reminded him of her 200 rules of journalism.

"Not really, but I like the sound of that," Alt!Lois said with a smile.

Dropping everyone off at the Planet, Alt!Lois said she would head to the local Chinese and pick up Jason from Richard's before she came back to work. Lois sat at her desk, typing away, seeing if she could glean any more information. More dead ends.

"It's like a needle in a barn filled with hay." Lois sighed, defeated.

Clark sat on the desk across from Lois when she opened her eyes, "Clark!"

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." Clark smiled, it was a cute sort of smile. Turns out she wasn't as hyperaware of this Clark Kent as her own.

"No, it's just you tend to pop up at the strangest times." Lois put her hand to her heart to illustrate how she might have a heart attack at any moment.

"No, it's just you looked worried," Clark said, pulling a chair out from under a desk and swinging it next to Lois' desk.

"Just miss home that's all. Guess time travelers didn't really factor that one in." Lois laughed.

"No, I don't think that they did. Missing anyone in particular?" Clark smiled softly.

"Maybe, why? Who would you miss if you traveled in time?" Lois teased. But Clark's eyes saddened quicker than Lois thought possible, "Clark, I didn't…"

"No, you're right, I'd miss Lois." Clark kept his smile but it was tight.

"Lois…" Lois said smiling but her smile dropped when she read the implications on Clark's face. "Lois!"

Clark blinked at looked at her alarmed, "Yes, Lois."

"Wow. You and Lois." Lois felt blown away by it.

"We never. She doesn't. I never told her how I feel," Clark stuttered, his look sad again.

Lois had sat with Clark for two days, watched him interact with this woman and she couldn't tell that he was in love with her. Maybe that's why other Lois didn't know either. Or maybe she did and didn't want to hurt his feelings.

"What about you, Jo?"

"Me?" She couldn't very well say what she meant. So she said the first thing that came into her head, "Kal." She had heard Clark call himself that, only she couldn't remember when or where.

"Kal?" Clark asked, intrigued.

"Yeah, we work together too." Lois blushed under Clark's gaze.

"Does he know?" Clark asked, his voice hopeful.

"Does he know as in did I tell him? Yes and no."

"Yes and no? How is that possible?"

"Cosmo death quiz."

"What?"

"We had to take a lie detector quiz but catch was it electrocuted people, sometimes to death. I told him I loved him. Then I lied about it."

"Why did you lie?"

"Because we're friends and friends don't fall in love with friends. Plus he's Cl-…Kal." Lois sighed, "…and he's in love with his high school girlfriend, L-Laura."

"Oh."

"But what about Lois? I thought she was with Richard…"

"They broke up. I'm not really sure why, I didn't like to pry."

"Clark Kent? Never!"

"I just…"

"Tell how her you feel Smallville; it'll feel good."

"Smallville."

"What?"

"You called me Smallville. Only Lois calls me that."

"You are from Smallville, aren't you? Seemed logical," Lois said quickly, trying to cover her mistake. Clark was stopped from asking any more questions when Alt!Lois returned with several bags. Clark obviously offered to take them and Lois handed most of them to him. Lois watched with a fascination, knowing what she knew about Clark.

"Jo, do you want a fortune cookie?" Alt!Lois offered.

"Why not? Who knows what the future holds?" Lois took the cookie. Cracking it open, she pulled out the piece of paper.

_Only through uncertainty can you know what is certain._

SSS

**Special Author Notes:** This chapter is decidated to Shelly for absolute awesomeness as she is making a banner for this fic. Woo!

Even more importantly, after chapter 4 I will take a _two week break_ from posting. That way I can a few chapters ahead in my writing.

Keep the reviews coming!


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Sorry, it's late! Just so you know, my SR!Lois interlude will be posted on the 16th December and chapter 5 of AYAIC a week after that.

Chapter 4

Oliver watched as Clark paced, almost burning a whole in his carpet. "So how long has Lois been gone?"

"Since this morning or before." Clark sat down, and Oliver sighed with relief.

"I hate to say it Clark but now isn't the time to be launching out a search party. It's probably that she's out of range of your cell, that's all."

"But you'll look?" Clark asked.

"But I'll look into it anyway," Oliver agreed. Clark shook his hand before he left.

Clark was standing on the sidewalk when he realized that there was someone watching him. He turned, trying to see who it was but there was nothing there. The feeling in Clark's stomach only intensified. If he was honest with himself he knew how he knew Lois was in trouble: he couldn't hear her heartbeat. Over the years he had been able to identify the subtle rhythms of each and everyone in his family. Most he had done it so he could keep and eye on his father's heart condition but it was something he relied on for comfort. Just hearing a heartbeat and knowing that they were all still there did more for Clark than anything.

"Mr Kent," A voice called. But again, Clark turned but there was no one there.

"I'm going to find out who you are and Lois," Clark said, his voice low and dangerous. "Be sure of it."

SSS

Bouncing ideas off Lois and Clark, Lois felt much like herself again, finally being able to put her brain to use on problems she could solve. She typed away as Lois pulled out various documents she had acquired, no one was to ask how and Clark tried to piece that in with some intel he had received from a source.

"Wow, it's gone 11, I better go." Alt!Lois looked guilty at Jason, sleeping under Clark's large jacket. She brushed back his dark hair and was about to wake him up but Clark stopped her.

"Don't Lois, I'll carry him." Clark did as he said, taking the small boy in his arms, his arms straining in his shirt not from effort but sheer size. Guess the farm made him grow up big here too. With ease he started towards the elevator.

Lois nodded, and Alt!Lois returned the favor; she had no doubt there would be a 'talk' involved at some point but at least they were on speaking terms.

Eventually Clark returned but Lois had packed away all the various things that had been left out, "Go, sleep," she said.

"I'll help clean up," Clark offered but Lois shooed him away.

"Clark, I'm fine. I'm a big girl," Lois said, hands on hips.

"You know, Jo, you remind me a lot of Lois when I first met her," Clark said and Lois stiffened.

"I do?"

"Yeah, I guess you're learning a lot from her."

"I guess," Lois said with a side of relief.

"Night, Jo."

"Night Clark."

SSS

Flopping down on her bed, well after midnight, Lois sighed sleepily. There was a rap at the window., Lois frowned; she was sure there was no way to get on to the balcony from here. Grabbing the baseball she had seen in the back of the closet, Lois approached the balcony with caution.

Opening the doors, Lois struck out with the bat, her hands vibrated at pain course through her and the bat shattered. Superman stood there with his arms folded, "Well, Miss, you are the most intriguing of burglars."

Lois looked at him incredulously, "Superman!"

"I do believe this apartment belongs to Ms Lane."

"How do you know that?" Lois said pointedly.

Superman didn't even have the decency to blush, "You shouldn't be here."

"Look, it's a really long story I don't want to talk about." Lois rubbed her forehead and Superman took a step forward and Lois felt his presence around her. "You might think that you're intimidating me but I've seen war zones so a man in spandex is a little less than frightening."

"Who are you?" Superman asked but Lois just turned away. Grabbing her arm, Lois looked at him, his grip tight enough to hold but not hurt. "Who are you really?"

"I'm Lois Lane. Who are you Superman?" Lois demanded before she was struck by what she had actually said.

"Impossible, I know Lois Lane." Superman went back to folding his arms.

"Yeah, I saw her too but I'm not from 2018 either. It's like I'm stuck in some sort of future alternate reality." Lois suddenly felt very tired by it all.

"How do you know?" Superman asked, his face set in a hard frown.

"Well for instance there is you and Clark is different," Lois said without thinking.

"Clark is different?" Superman seemed interested by this.

"My Clark doesn't wear glasses for a start or buttons up under 16 piece suits," Lois reeled off, "and he isn't as socially and physically challenged."

"But what you're saying is this isn't your world."

"This isn't my world but this is the first place I woke up. Or rather in the bedroom." Lois pointed in its general direction.

"When did this happen?"

"About two days ago." Lois nodded, she felt suddenly strange sharing her story with Superman but if anyone could understand it would be the alien from anther planet. Superman seemed to be lost in thought, his blue eyes intense and focused on nothing and everything.

"What's it like? Being Kryptonian?" Lois blurted out.

Superman looked up, he was clearly surprised by the question, "It's…"

Lois didn't push, she waited but Superman seemed to wrestle with himself, wondering whether he should or not, "It's lonely."

"I'm sorry."

"Thank you but it happened a long time ago." Superman sighed, "Well, I have a friend at STAR labs that might be able to help you, Dr Emil Hamilton."

"He specializes in this sort of thing?"

"No, but he might know where to start," Superman said. Lois felt a little rush of hope run through her.

"But what if I can't get back? What if I have to stay here now? Does that mean I have to stop being Lois Lane?" Lois asked, her voice small and she wondered if Superman could even hear it but then she remembered he would always be able to.

"No, you don't stop being Lois Lane, not ever," Superman said, his fierceness surprised Lois.

"Goodnight, Miss Lane." Superman nodded his head, Lois smiled, she could see why the world favored him as well as they did. When you're ready Good Samaritan, when you're ready. Lois thought.

"Goodnight Superman," Lois said with a small wave. Heading towards the bedroom, Lois promptly fell into a dreamless sleep.

SSS

Clark was sitting in the loft when John came to visit him. John Jones or J'onn as he was really named, was one of his only links to his heritage, the Martian Manhunter was an old friend of his birth father's and was asked to look after him and guide him. But in saving Clark's life, he had knowingly destroyed his own abilities. Clark was eternally grateful and guilt ridden because of it. But John had found work at the local police department, still helping and aiding both innocent people and Clark in the same day.

"Anything?" Clark asked, his eyes lit up with hope.

"I did the missing person's on your partner myself but as it stands she hasn't been gone long enough. What is this really about Kal-El?" John asked, his hand on Clark's shoulder.

"I don't like it when my friends suddenly disappear," Clark said darkly.

"True but I sense a great reason to your unease," John said thoughtfully. Nothing could get past him.

"There was someone who called my name after I felt like I was being watched but both times I didn't see anything." Clark frowned.

"And you think this has something to do with Lois?"

"How can it not? I mean she disappears this person turns up. It's not exactly a science."

"Well, I'll look into some surveillance footage but be careful Kal-El, we don't know what we're dealing with if something more sinister holds your friend."

Clark nodded and bid John goodbye. Picking up his cell he called Ollie and then Chloe to see if there were any updates.

SSS

Lois met Clark for coffee the next morning; only he had more sugar in his coffee than her. Laughing, Lois ordered something to eat and offered Clark some, but he declined. Lois picked up the Daily Planet and a grin spread on to her face. There her article was on page 3; a sense of pride washed over Lois as it always did when she saw a piece of her work in the Planet's iconic pages.

Lois also held tight to the note in her pocket indicating her appointment with Dr Hamilton as arranged by Superman. The ridiculousness of the situation soon passed as Lois grabbed on to the opportunity that could be her only way home.

"Jo? Are you alright?" Clark asked, his eyes concerned.

Lois nodded, "Great. Just wondering if this doctor can really help me get home."

"Dr Hamilton is a good man, Jo, he can help," Clark replied before standing up, leaving some bills on the side. Lois looked at Clark, he seemed troubled. "I don't know. Aare you okay, Clark?"

"Hmm? I'm fine."

Lois wasn't convinced but she didn't say anything, she just let Clark lead her back out and towards the Daily Planet.

SSS

Clark was restless, his mind churning as he stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Lois had been gone two days now with no signs of return. If this was how she felt when he disappeared then he didn't know how she coped but he doubted Lois lacked the coping skills he was obviously devoid of, the General would have seen to it.

Again, Clark had the feeling he was no longer alone he sat up in his bed and even with his heightened vision he couldn't see anything as his eyes scanned the room.

"Hello?" Clark called, his voice almost booming in the silence of his room. No answer.

There was a crash in the corner, and Clark's eyes flickered over the cabinet which was now splintered into large pieces. With a flash of speed, Clark was upright, body coiled to strike the invader but his mind was blocked, like something had come crashing down on his mind leaving him unable to control his own movements, and then there was darkness.

SSS

Clark opened his eyes, unsure what he expected to see. Blinking a few times he realized he was in one of the phone booths at the Daily Planet. Rubbing his eyes and pushing his hair back he reached out to open the door and realized he wasn't in his bed clothes, but a shirt and pants, his usual attire for work at the Daily Planet.

How did I get here? Clark wondered as he stepped out of the phone booth. Walking down the corridor, he felt his stomach roll again, reacting to some unknown force. It took Clark a few seconds but he realized he wasn't in the basement. Looking around he noticed he was on the 6th floor. Walking further down, he heard the commotion of people talking to each other, over each other. Opening the doors at the end of the hallway, Clark was surprised to see what looked like the bullpen at the Daily Planet, only it wasn't.

Clark stood there a moment, astonished before a young boy stood in front of him, looking up at him, "Hi."

"Hey," Clark replied, the boy nodded and was stopped by a dark haired woman.

"Jason! I was looking for you!" Bending down, the woman hugged the little boy, Jason, tight. The woman stood up, looking at Clark, she picked her son up, "Oh, hi."

Clark offered a tight smile, "Hi."

"I'm sorry, Jason just likes to introduce himself to everyone,." she said with a soft smile.

"It's okay. We hadn't even gotten to that part." Clark ruffled Jason's hair.

"I'm Jason, Jason White." Jason nodded and looked at his mother. She sighed but it was good- natured, "I'm Lois. Lois Lane."

Clark coughed to cover his surprise. Jason looked at him, his eyes seeming to understand more than a 6 year old should. "I'm…"

"Kal!" A voice called, Clark's head whipped to the source of the noise. Lois, his Lois, was standing up, her head poking over a cubicle. Hair pulled back, a pencil behind her ear, Lois looked like she belonged here in the assorted, organized chaos.

"You and Jo know each other?" Lois asked, her interest piqued.

Jo? "Oh yeah, we uh…went to school together," Clark nodded as Alt!Lois stepped aside to make way for Lois, who threw her arms around Clark. Clark was slightly stunned but he pulled Lois into a warm hug, for the longest 48 hours he thought he would never see her again. As if it was automatic, Clark buried his face in her neck, taking in her scent, but as soon as he had done it, both of them stiffened at the intimate contact.

"Lois, this is Kal, an old friend!" Lois announced brightly. She looked at Jason, smiling, "Hey J-man."

Jason grinned, "I made something."

"Did you?" Lois looked at him with interest, Alt!Lois let her son down from her arms to guide Lois to her desk. Lois stopped a moment, "Don't you want to show Kal, Jason?"

Jason nodded enthusiastically, "Sure."

Alt!Lois gestured to an office and turned to Lois, "Gotta talk to the Chief and then I'm going to find Clark."

"What about Jason?" Lois said, Jason's hand in hers.

"Richard is in his office," Alt!Lois replied not without sadness. A moment later, she took a breath, opening the office door and entered.

Lois and Clark followed Jason to Alt!Lois' desk, name place taking pride of place on top of her computer. Jason was pulling out a picture when a dark haired man interrupted them, "Hey munchkin."

"Daddy!" Jason exclaimed, throwing his arms around his father.

"Hey Richard, uh, this is Kal." Lois gestured quickly to Clark. Clark nodded and offered his hand, Richard shook it firmly.

"Do you mind?" Richard gestured to Jason.

"No, Lois said for you to take him, she had to speak to Perry," Lois replied. Clark could barely grasp what was being said in front of him. It had been two days since he saw Lois but it seemed like she had known these people for years.

"Great." Richard lead Jason off in a different direction, Clark turned on Lois, "What the hell is…?"

"Not here," Lois said, her eyes scanning the bullpen. Pulling Clark by his wrist, Lois led him to the elevator.

"We need to stop meeting like this," Clark drawled.

Lois rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Smallville."

"Lois, what happened to you? You been missing for two days…"

"Two days?"

"It's been two weeks here," Lois said quietly.

"Here? Where is here?"

"Metropolis, 2018 slash alternate universe." Lois' eyes searched Clark's for a reaction but he was stunned into silence. The elevator doors dinged open, A tall man with floppy dark hair and glasses stood straightening his tie on the other side.

"Jo?" Clark looked at the man, his blue eyes seemed to bore into him, more familiar that he could have imagined.

"Clark, hey. I was just showing my friend around the Planet. You know…" Lois laughed but it was uncomfortable.

"Okay, but don't forget we've got to work on that story." Alt!Clark's eyes took the length of Clark and Clark almost felt like the other man was x-raying him.

Lois nodded, "Right, I'll be back."

"Clark," Clark repeated, blue eyes watching him curiously.

Alt!Clark offered him his hand, "Clark Kent."

Lois grabbed Clark's hand before he could take it, "We need to go -- now." Quickly, Lois yanked Clark into the waiting elevator, but she pulled on him so hard he fell into her, both of them pressed up against the elevator wall. Lois looked up at him, Clark hesitated for a moment before stepping away. He thought he could almost hear her sigh of disappointment.

"Where are we going?" Clark said conversationally.

"To my apartment."

"You have an apartment?" Clark asked incredulously.

Lois glared at him, "I woke up in the apartment two weeks ago and fortunately it belonged to Lois Lane."

"Who isn't you but…"

"A mother of one, Pulitzer winning reporter, yeah."

"And I'm…" Clark frowned.

Lois smiled, "My partner. Both versions of me."

"Looks like I'm stuck with you then," Clark teased.

Lois' smile turned into a more upturn of her lips, "You have no idea."

Clark's eyebrows rose when he saw the slow burn in Lois' eyes; he would have to ask her what she meant. Giving her a quick once over, just to make sure she was fine, he noted that she had a new scar on her knee but other than that she was the same as she left.

"Clark, you're staring at me," Lois said, amused as the door opened.

Clark blushed bright red, the red staining his cheeks, "I was making sure you're okay."

"You could just ask me." Lois quirked an eyebrow. The two of them strode out of the elevator, and Lois guided Clark towards the preferred place of picking up a cab.

"Lois, how did you get the scar on your knee?" Clark said quickly.

Lois looked at him, slightly shocked, "I thought you were going to ask me how I burnt my hand on the oven. Well, I walked into the coffee table about a week ago. I was in a hurry."

"Late for work?"

"Something like that." Lois put both her forefinger and her thumb in her mouth and blew, hailing the first cab that passed.

"Nice."

"Clark taught me." Clark opened the cab door but let Lois slide into the back of it first. Quickly, she gave her address to the driver and she turned to Clark, "It's good to see you, Clark."

"You too Lois." Once again, their fingers brushed against each other, sparks jolted up Clark's forearm before he let his hand fall back into his lap.

Closing the partition between driver and passengers, Lois asked, "How did you get here?"

"I don't know, one minute I was in my room then I was in the phone booth of the Daily Planet," Clark replied.

"Right, well I was asleep at the farm when I woke up I was in the apartment. The common denominator the farm," Lois deduced, "But it doesn't make sense."

"No, it doesn't," Clark agreed.

"Maybe Dr Hamilton will have more information. We should go and see him," Lois said quickly as the cab came to a halt. Opening the partition, Lois handed over the money and Clark got out of the car, helping Lois.

"Who's Dr Hamilton?" Clark asked as Lois took to guiding him again, the building was a nice one, expensive most probably.

"He's a specialist at STAR labs whose been helping me try to get back," Lois said as she pulled out a set of keys.

Clark eyed Lois sceptically, "This doctor knows how to send a person through…"

"No, but he was helping me research possible ways of getting back. But it's all just theory," Lois replied as she let herself and Clark into the building, gesturing to the elevator, the pair walked over to it and pressed the button, waiting for the metallic ding signalling the elevators arrival.

"We've got to stop meeting like this," Lois quipped mimicking Clark's earlier statement.

Clark smiled. He had missed this, two days was a relatively short time he knew but without Lois it seemed even more arduous. She was the kind of person who lived in the moment, her mouth usually open before she had even decided what she was going to say. Clark found it refreshing and new, compared to the way he lived his life, constantly walking around on egg shells in case anyone could find out his secret. It seemed Lois just didn't care he had a secret.

"Jeez, don't strain something there, Smallville," Lois frowned, looking up at Clark. She must have noticed him spacing out.

"Okay Lois," Clark said, making his tone as patronising as possible.

"Whatever." Entering the elevator, Lois pressed the button and leaned her head back against the cool metal of the elevator. Clark watched as Lois closed her eyes, gently breathing in and out.

"Hey, you okay?" Clark asked. Lois opened her eyes gently.

"Sure, being stuck in a strange futuristic alt world makes me jump for joy," Lois said quickly, her sarcasm jumping to her defence. She sighed, "Sorry Clark, didn't mean to bite your head off. You're stuck in the same boat as me now."

"I can't imagine what it must have been like Lois," Clark said softly.

"It wasn't totally horrifying, Clark or Alt!Clark helped me out a lot," Lois said with a smile.

"I, or I mean he, helped you?" Clark asked, intrigued.

"Yeah, I kind of got drunk and started spouting about how he wasn't the same," Lois looked up at Clark again, "Not like you."

Clark looked back at Lois, her eyes flickering to the floor before she held his gaze again, "Not like me?"

Lois laughed, "You know, Clark Kent, farmboy, king of plaid."

"Oh, so if he isn't that, who is he?" Clark laughed.

"He's a great guy, a little clumsy but no more than you when someone mentions naked women," Lois teased as Clark's cheeks stained with his blush. "Lois!"

"See, you're just too easy." Lois leaned off the wall so that she could stand in front of the opening doors, her hand pulled Clark out by his wrist. Walking down to a door numbered, 306, Lois pulled out another set of keys, "Here we are." as she pulled what Clark realised should have been the right key. Turning it in the lock, Lois let out a triumphant 'ha' as she opened the door. "Are you hungry?" Lois asked.

"I don't know, are you going to force PB and J on me?" Clark asked as he looked around the apartment. Softly and sparsely furnished, it reminded him a lot of Lois, but it didn't really match the amount of boxes of useless things that she had. "Nice." Clark said more to himself than anyone else.

"Yeah, I must be a bit loaded if I can afford this and somewhere else." Seeing Clark's confused look, Lois explained, "It belongs to the other Lois right, but she's never been here. She lives in a house down by the river."

"Right." Clark nodded.

"So, Chinese?"

"Sure, don't forget those chicken balls," Clark said as he inspected one of the photos in the frames on the fireplace.

"Do you want the sauce with those?" Lois asked, Clark told her yes.

Turning his attention back to the photograph, it was one of Lois and Clark, this world's version, it was at some kind of function as they were both dressed in black tie. Lois was leaning into Clark, obviously telling him some kind of joke as there was a smile on his face. They looked like they were good friends. It was nice to know.

"Hey," Lois said as she came back into the room. At some point she had slipped off her shoes and was walking around with bare feet. It seemed to make Lois even more vulnerable in Clark's eyes. "It should be here in 20 minutes. I'm a good customer."

That Lois would be, she had enough culinary misadventures to last a lifetime and as he remembered, PB and J was the extent of her culinary skill. "Sounds great."

Lois walked past Clark to a magazine rack in the corner and pulled out a manila file, handing it to him, she said, "It's everything Dr Hamilton could find. See if you can make sense of it."

Lois paid for the food as it arrived, preparing plates and un-boxing the food as Clark read through the doctor's notes. Putting the food down on the table, Lois gestured for Clark to come over. Clark put down the file and made his way to the table.

"So?" Lois said, hopefully.

"You're right, a lot of it is just circumstance and theory. I doubt anyone really knows anything," Clark concluded.

"Right, because time travel in alternate dimensions is so common," Lois drawled.

"You keep saying that," Clark noted.

"Yeah, I say it everyday, wondering how it could be true. But then I dream about being abducted by aliens so I could just be imagining the whole thing," Lois sighed.

"If you were imagining things, why would you imagine me?" Clark said with a smile.

"Because you're my knight in shining armour." Lois grinned but then the look between them intensified until they both looked away, trying not to read anymore into what was going on.

"Want any more of the chow mien?" Clark said quickly.

"Sure, I'll trade you for some of the spicy chicken," Lois said knowing that the last time Clark had eaten it he had needed two glasses of milk until his mouth had stopped burning.

"I'll give it to you for free." Clark laughed.

Lois smiled, "Score!"

"It's what I live for." Clark smiled. Lois rolled her eyes and picked up the dirty plates, clearly neither one of them wanted to eat any more.

"We should probably go down to the Ace of Clubs. That way you can talk to Clark and Jimmy, and see if they'll tell you anything more than they told me."

"Jimmy?"

"Doesn't know, but guys are guys. From the sounds of things, he and Chloe haven't even met here let alone gotten married." Lois placed the plates in the sink, "Just let me go change."

Clark looked down at his own attire, but Lois waved her hand, "You look great." Clark quirked an eyebrow and Lois just turned and almost ran into the bedroom.

SSS

Lois was explaining that things were vaguely in the same place only when you took a closer look at them did you realized they were nothing like you thought they were. But Clark's mind was wandering. He thought about his alternate self; were they alike or poles apart? Noticeably, Lois' counterpart was different; she was warm and motherly, which was nothing like Lois herself. But there was a fire in her eyes that reminded him instantly of Lois. Was it the same for him? Did Lois look at his alternate self and know it was him? Even more curiously Clark wondered if he had powers. It was highly doubtful he didn't and it was interesting for Clark to know how he had put to use the abilities Clark had only just begun to use and recognize as more than 'his secret'.

From the corner of his eye, Clark could see Lois walking down the street beside him, dressed in jeans and a jacket. She reminded him of the Lois of old, tomboy army brat with a attitude, and it reminded him of how much she had changed, how much less abrasive and welcoming she had become.

"Quit eyeballing me like I'm about to rob you, okay Clark."

Some things never change, Clark mused as they arrived at the club., He doubted very much that his alternate self enjoyed spending much time here. Even at the door, the press of bodies was insistent and put Clark on edge. Even beyond his moral standing, the press of flesh was something Clark on some level feared, in case he hurt someone without realizing it. As Lois pushed her way to the front of the line, much to the chagrin of those around her, she pulled Clark close behind her, her smaller hand holding his wrist in an iron grip. For a split second Clark wondered what it would feel like if he were human. Would it hurt?

Suddenly Lois stopped, her back hitting the wall of Clark's chest, "Hey Pete."

"Hey Jo, go on inside," The bouncer replied with ease.

Clark looked at Lois expectantly. "It's all about knowing the right people," she informed him.

"Right."

The music playing hit Clark almost like a punch, it's loudness reverberating in his sensitive ears. There was no melody, just a pulsing beat that half the club's patrons were gyrating to, and Clark wrinkled his nose in distaste. I'm really not a club kind of guy, he thought.

Lois waved towards the bar, Clark saw a shorter, young guy waving back, and from here Clark could see he was wearing a bow tie. Lois leaned up to say in Clark's ear that it was Jimmy but Clark was distracted by her scent, perfume permeating from her neck as his eyes flickered over the expanse of skin. Nodding, somewhat numbly, Clark continued to follow Lois until she reached a stop just in front of the bartender.

"Two beers, bottled please," Lois had to shout over the throbbing music. The bartender nodded his ascent and grabbed two bottled and uncapped them, Lois exchanged cash for the bottles and turned, giving one to Clark. Lois smiled at him, expectantly. Clark rolled his eyes and took a draw from the bottle. Lois tilted her head, satisfied.

"Jimmy Olsen," Jimmy said, offering his hand to Clark.

Clark took it and shook it warmly. He almost replied Clark Kent but instead he remembered that Lois had named him Kal. He would have to ask her about that but she had given him no last name, "Kal Elverson."

Lois' eyes narrowed as he introduced himself, Clark ignored her and turned his attention to Jimmy, "So how long have you worked at the Planet?"

"Oh about 6 or 7 years, seems strange to say it now, feels like I got the job just yesterday." Jimmy laughed, Clark nodded. "I mean, Jo's been with us like two weeks but it feels like she's been here almost forever."

Clark noted Jimmy's perceptible flush; he was crushing on Lois. Lois, on the other hand, was oblivious as she scanned the bar as if she was looking for someone. Lois jumped up, as if suddenly animated. "Oh, I love this song, dance with me," Lois said quickly, grabbing Clark and yanking him in the direction of the dance floor.

"Lois!" Clark hissed as he stumbled behind her, his back almost wedged up against a redhead who didn't seem too unhappy about the prospect. Lois yanked his face back to look at her, her hands warm on his cheeks.

"That's your attempt at guy talk? No wonder you don't have any guy friends." Lois rolled her eyes.

"I have guy friends Lois," Clark replied, somewhat offended. Lois ignored him as she started to move with the music. Clark hadn't expected that they would actually do any dancing.

"Clark, it's only dancing, shuffle or something," Lois said as if she was speaking to a child. Clark let out an oomph as he was knocked into Lois, the press of bodies becoming even more unbearable. Steadying himself with a hand on her waist, Lois froze, no longer moving to the beat.

"Clark." Lois' voice was so low that if he wasn't blessed with superhuman hearing, he would have never heard her. It was a quiet sound, more like a question that his name, looking down at Lois, he felt a knot beginning in his stomach and he wasn't sure how to get rid of it. But with all things, tuning his hearing into Lois, he had tuned it into everything else and beneath the pulsing music there was a steady tick-tock, tick-tock.

A bomb. There's a bomb underneath the club.


End file.
